


Heat | Isshin Ashina x Fem! Okami! Reader

by crestedhearts (orphan_account)



Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:35:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/crestedhearts
Summary: In which [Name]'s relationship with the Lord of Ashina evolves into something far from the expected.》 Isshin Ashina x Fem! Reader》 Pre-Sekiro Timeline, AU
Relationships: Isshin Ashina/Female Reader, Isshin Ashina/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. ( 一 ) HEAT

**Author's Note:**

> This just plays off of my Genichiro fic where [Name], or the reader, decides to give Isshin her virginity because she literally didn't want to trust it with anyone else. Take from that what you will. She respects him enough that she feels no fear allowing him to do so. This chapter is from Chapter Seven in that fic and reposted so I can branch off smoothly.
> 
> Beware the smut.

[NAME] DRESSED AS she normally did for every meeting she had with Lord Isshin. A plain yukata with simple embroidery, an obi, a pair of flat sandals, and a simple robe to go over it all. She kept her hair in a bun at the nape of her neck and swept a few strands down to make it appear casual and not like she was making too much of an effort.

Lady Tomoe sat on her bed, legs crossed, and held a hand to her chin as she critiqued what she wore. "It looks perfect. Subtle enough not to imply anything, but it could be taken a myriad of different ways… Not that Lord Isshin wouldn't figure out your ploy in a heartbeat."

[Name] met her gaze in the mirror. "I'm trying to be as natural as possible. I don't want to be someone I'm not."

It was nearly nightfall and time for dinner. Lord Isshin had ordered for their portions to be taken in his quarters and, hopefully, dessert as well if he didn't kick her out right away and turn in for the night. Lady Tomoe kept insisting that he wasn't as old as his years made him seem; [Name] could agree with that sentiment, at least physically. He had a fine facial structure, musculature that had yet to deteriorate from his illness, and white hair, peppered with black that had not turned colors. He was handsome, but there was an oldness in his eyes that made her nervous. It wasn't necessarily that he was old that gave him that look--he seemed to be able to stare right down to her soul and figure out what she was made of.

"Very well. You're right." Lady Tomoe rose to her feet and approached her from behind. She fiddled with her bun and made it just slightly less perfect. "I'm sure he'll appreciate your genuity. Did you shave?"

[Name] furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, and I went over twice just to be sure, but nothing's going to happen. It's just a dinner."

"You never know." Lady Tomoe smirked, then looked outside. "It's almost time. You should get going."

With a nod, [Name] took one final look in the mirror and nodded to herself. It would have to do. "Wish me luck."

Lady Tomoe snorted, unladylike. "I'll definitely be rooting for one outcome for the night."

[Name] rolled her eyes and stepped out into the hall. Waiting for her was a nightjar, wearing the typical mask and feathered cloak. He had centerd himself in the middle of the window, and upon noticing her, held out his hand.

"What's this about?" She inquired. She took his hand and found herself escorted to the rooftops via the window.

"Lord Isshin has ordered me to escort you to his quarters," the nightjar explained. He allowed her to take her time getting through the window, careful not to rip open her yukata even though these kinds of movements were second nature to her. "He said you would enjoy a nighttime stroll to calm your nerves."

Straightening and keeping her balance on the slats of the roof, [Name] fixed the nightjar with a bewildered stare. "How did he know that?"

The nightjar shook his head. "I don't question my orders, my lady."

"Very well then. Let us continue."

[Name] had exited the window on the highest floor, which was on the other side of the manor and farest from Lord Isshin's attached quarters. It was perhaps one of the prettiest views of the courtyard as the nightjar escorted her, keeping well behind her but close enough to catch her if she, for some reason, fell. She watched the moonlight glimmering off the green lake below, the soldiers milling about on the connecting bridge. They didn't seem to spot her so she continued on, pleased with her discreetness, and basked in the moonlight while she was able.

They took the short rooftop across to Lord Isshin's open balcony. The nightjar aided her in stepping lightly onto the railing before departing as she walked along it to the surprisingly open doors of Isshin's quarters. He was sitting in front of an interesting spread of food, no doubt their portions of dinner, and was reading from a scroll and idly picking at a small tray of cucumbers. She was right on time, it seemed.

"Lord Isshin," [Name] called, stepping lightly off of the railing and onto the balcony floor. It was as elegant as she intended for it to be because his eyes drew to her soft landing. "I'm not late, am I?"

"No. You are on time." Lord Isshin closed the scroll he was reading and gestured to a cushion across from him and the food. "Take a seat. Emma just delivered tonight's food. The cooks decided on beef for tonight, it seems."

"Beef?" [Name] raised an eyebrow and settled on her knees across from him. "That's quite rare to have. For our departure, I'm assuming?"

"You guessed correctly." Lord Isshin took a sip of what seemed to be sake. No, she had no doubt it was sake, but it was extremely watered down than the normal sake he usually drank. He intended to be sober for the night. She didn't know what to make of it. "Please, go ahead and begin eating."

"Thank you." [Name] bowed her head and began selecting her food. She filled a bowl full of rice, added some of the cook's special sauce to the beef, and began eating. Her nerves wouldn't allow her eat to her heart's content like she wanted. "Lord Isshin? If I may ask you a question…"

"Proceed." Isshin set down his sake cup, giving her his full attention.

"How did you know I would enjoy walking on the rooftops?" She inquired quietly. "I know I'm not that obvious about it."

"I digress," he said, an amused smile on his lips. He really was handsome. "The nightjar have spotted you many times. It's only right that they report to me of any suspicious activity."

"I should have known. Or guessed, at the very least." [Name] shook her head. "I assume you have nothing against my nightly strolls?"

He smiled. "No. The estate tends to get stuffy after a while, I understand. The lack of privacy is something I do not miss. It's why I moved out here."

"I do miss my privacy," [Name] lamented. "But it's something I had to sacrifice to be here, it seems."

"Sacrifices," Isshin mused. "Yes, I know much about those."

[Name] blushed furiously, realizing what she had just said. "Lord Isshin, I am so sorry, I wasn't even thinking…"

To her surprise, he laughed at her. "Don't be foolish. I didn't mean anything by it. Here, finish your food. There's something I want to show you."

Before she could ask what, he added,"It's a surprise."

She pouted but finished off her food. Her stomach wasn't doing flipflops anymore so she took it as a good sign and added a little more meat to her bowl before she felt that she had eaten enough. Lord Isshin ate what she couldn't finish, and more, but she knew he ate far more than that.

When he noticed she was finished, he got to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. Her yukata had been wrapped in such a way that quick movements were punished, which she regretted. She took his hand and he pulled her up with an ease she hadn't expected. He then directed her towards a staircase and helped her down those stairs as well, only releasing her when he was certain she was grounded.

"You wanted to show me something?" She pressed.

"Impatience," Isshin noted lightly. He then nodded towards two boxes lined up neatly in front of his sword collection. One was red, slender in color, and another was black and bulky. She had never seen such craftmanship before. "There."

"I've never seen such work before," she said lightly, approaching the boxes and kneeling before them. She reached for the lid of the red one. "May I?"

Lord Isshin nodded. "Go on."

She opened the box. Inside, nestled between layers of silk, was a katana. But the moment she touched the hilt, she felt something evil reach out and touch her very soul. She jerked her hand back.

"What is this blade?" she gasped.

"The red mortal blade," Lord Isshin explained. He had moved somewhere behind her to watch her open them. "Open the other one. Tell me what you feel."

She replaced the cover and moved on to the black one. She steadied her breath and, cringing, opened it. Inside was a mimic of the other blade, except this one was black. When she touched it, she felt welcomed, warm and loved. "I feel warm… Lord Isshin, what are these weapons?"

"A set of blades that can sever life… or give life. The red and black mortal blades." He sighed. "It took me years to find just one. I am showing you these in case something happens. This power should be in no one's hands."

"I understand why." [Name] gently replaced the lid. "That kind of power is what destroyed the Fountainhead Palace."

She struggled to get to her feet. When she was able to stand, she turned to face Lord Isshin, only she found him standing far closer than she thought he had been. If she even breathed too much her breasts would touch his chest. Arousal hit her like a punch to the gut and she had a feeling he knew, judging by the smile in his eyes as he stared down at her.

"Lord Isshin?" [Name] breathed. Her lungs felt painfully tight. "What are you..?"

He held up a single finger and pressed it to her lips, silencing her question. "I will be fully honest with you, [Name]. I've had my eye on you for quite some time. I never intended to pursue you, and yet my interest was… piqued, if you will. Even more so, I think, when you began strolling by night."

"That doesn't…" she sealed her lips shut when he sent her a patient glance. "Sorry."

"At first it was your power. Your skill with a blade. I am not the first man to desire you for that, nor will I be the last. Then it was your personality that put it into perspective for me, and so I made my decision and asked Lady Tomoe to formally court you." He moved his finger to cup her jaw with his hand. "I still don't expect an answer just yet, if you were worried about that."

"I… wasn't going to give you one," [Name] whispered in surprise. "I just wanted to speak with you, and think it all over during battle."

"And your first impressions?" He inquired curiously.

He watched her swallow, her throat moving deeply. "I'm… tempted. Very tempted."

Her breathing deepened. She cursed the fact that she was on her cycle, otherwise she would have jumped the man right there. It wasn't her hormones dictating her actions this time; it was her mind. She couldn't help but want him. Her body agreed.

"Do you want me to move away?" He asked. His hand moved from her cheek to cup the side of her neck. "Be honest. I won't get angry."

Her voice came out as a squeak. "No. No, but I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"And why's that?" His hand moved lower, to the center of her chest, just barely brushing her breasts.

She swallowed again and this time he spotted the anxiety. "I… I'm on my cycle, Lord Isshin."

"Just Isshin," he corrected her. His hand dipped even lower, toying with her obi sash. "Blood never fazed me. Is that all?"

"No." She paused. "I'm a… virgin. I'm inexperienced."

"Do you not trust me with it?" He didn't sound offended, just curious. He undid the bow. She didn't stop him. "Inexperience is a part of life. I do not judge you for it. I'm giving you the chance to learn what experience does for you."

Her breathing picked up. "I… honestly, Lo-Isshin, if we're still being honest, I don't know who else I would entrust it to."

Her outer robe went first. "I'm flattered. Truly, I am, that you would trust me with something so precious. Do you still trust me?"

"Yes." He could see it in her eyes that she did. "As much as Lady Tomoe."

"And do you still want this?" He reached up with the hand not working with the knot of her obi and gently stroked her scarlet cheek. The coolness of his skin was almost scalding. "Do not let me force you, [Name]. Be honest."

"Yes," she whispered. He almost didn't hear it. "I do."

"You may tell me to stop at any time." He carefully unwrapped her obi and let it slide through his fingers to the floor. Her yukata parted just slightly, exposing a sliver of flesh from her collarbone to her inner thigh. "If you are in pain, tell me to stop. If I think you're in pain and you aren't telling me, I will stop. If you ever feel uncomfortable, I will stop. If you suddenly feel regretful, I will stop."

Her eyes were flooded with tears. "I… Isshin, I--this is more than I deserve…"

He shook his head and wiped the tears when they fell. "No woman deserves anything but the utmost respect when it comes to her wishes and body. I respect you, [Name], and desire your willingness above all."

[Name] was hit with a pang of respect for the man, more than she originally had. He was offering her a safe space to explore her first time with, with a man who would not judge her for her inexperience and would help her every step of the way. A man who would respect her wishes and that if she wanted to back out, would let her do so. She really couldn't think of a better person to give her maidenhead to.

"Thank you," she whispered. His thumb tracked a tear that traced down her lip. "I will admit… I was terrified to ever give it up. I'm scared of the pain, or the judging…"

"I will not lie, there will be some pain." Isshin gently moved his hand to the inside of her yukata, finding the small of her back and pressing her to him. "Think of it like stretching out a muscle you've never used before. It will burn, sting, pinch… but I will make sure to prepare you so that you feel very little of that."

[Name] smiled and hesitantly rested her hand on his chest. "That's all I ask of you."

No more words were to be spoken. He wiped the rest of her tears away and, gently, walked her to the sliding doors where she knew his bedroom to be. It was cleverly hidden beneath a staircase, covered with a thick curtain. He eyed her as if she were a startled doe and took care to make sure every step she took was willing, and they were. She was eased by his care, his watchful eye. He would know if any part of her was unwilling.

And so far, all she felt was willing.

He stopped her just before they reached the foot of his bed. He closed the door, made sure the windows were shut for her sake, but left open small vents to air out the heat that was sure to be stifling. Then he returned to stand in front of her, carefully removing the yukata from her body until her bare breasts were exposed. She wore no bandeau and only wore her underwear and menstrual cloth.

He touched the hem of her underwear, holding her gaze with his own. It was intense. "May I?"

"Yes," she answered. "Be… Be mindful of the blood…"

He knelt down and began carefully untying the ends. "I thought I told you blood didn't faze me."

[Name] held her breath as she felt the cloth part from her thighs. "You did."

He gave a soft hum and the garment fell away entirely. "It seems you have nothing to worry about."

"What?" [Name] couldn't bring herself to look down.

"Your cloth was completely clean," he explained softly. His fingers trailed hot lines up her knee and thigh as he stood, but he kept them on the inside and danced his way up. She nearly quivered at the thought of him touching her. "It seems you're in luck."

Fingers parted her folds. She inhaled a small gasp and Isshin allowed her to fall into him when her eyes fluttered shut. Just as she was debating grinding herself into his hand, he slipped a single finger within her, testing, gauging her reaction. When she did nothing more than moan into his shoulder, he eased that finger back out.

"Good, [Name]." Her stomach twisted at the praise. "Very good. On the bed, please."

She obeyed and sat back on the bed. Her thighs and crotch throbbed painfully, pounded in time to her heartbeat as she imagined the feel of his fingers again. She was growing so wet that she felt her folds slipping and sliding against themselves.

Isshin removed his yukata slowly. He was waiting on her to tell him to stop, and that she didn't want to do it anymore, but she kept quiet.

When he was completely bare, [Name] took the initiative and gently ran her fingers up his abdomen, feeling the muscles twitch beneath her palms, up to his pectorals.

"You may touch me," he hummed, amused by her hesitance. "Explore, if you want. Don't feel uncomfortable with me."

"I… Alright." [Name]'s touch became a bit more curious, a bit more exploratory. She rose to her feet, tracing his muscles, following the lines of scars that he knew he had, and gently ran her fingers over the one in the center of his chest. She didn't ask like he thought she would and instead, when she was finished, brought both hands up to his chest. He noticed that she avoided a very specific area of his body that she was to be acquainted with, but decided that maybe she was a little overwhelmed and trying to take it one step at a time. He would give her that time. If there was ever another time where she would want him again, he would urge her on. "Lean down, please."

As it was, he was much taller than her, even with her Okami height. He leaned down until they were nose to nose, curious, until she leaned up and met his lips with hers. They were impossibly soft and when he brought one between his teeth, grazing it slightly and following it with a sweep of his tongue, she got a little more comfortable.

He nudged her back to the bed and she fell back. He followed her lips, giving her just enough time to take a breath, before capturing them with his own once more. He skimmed the inside of her thigh with his fingers, the other hand hooking her leg around his waist. She moved her leg open wider in permission, her mouth just that more searching against his.

As he teased the flesh between her legs, he was surprised to find that it was hairless and smooth. He hadn't expected her to groom herself so thoroughly before their meeting. He wouldn't have been bothered by the hair.

Isshin gently massaged her clit, rolling his thumb in circular motions, and found himself mesmerized by the sounds she made. Her mouth fell open in short gasps and he took advantage of it, pressing chaste kisses to her lips or bringing her tongue into his mouth. She offered him tiny little moans, interesting squeaks, and when he denied her that extra stroke, a frustrated hiss.

When her impatience reached a head and her nipples were becoming too hard to ignore, he parted from her mouth and began placing a slow trail of open mouthed kisses down her throat. She arched into him, her clit shoving into the base of his palm, desperately seeking friction as he traced the insides of her flower. When he finally reached a bud, pink and ripe and flush with blood, he ensconced it with his mouth, sucking, pulling, nibbling at the delicate flesh.

She cried out just as he put two fingers within her, curling them playfully against her inner walls. "Ahh… I-Isshin, please…"

"Mm?" He rumbled against her breast. He traced it with his tongue, giving it a gentle bite with his teeth before moving on to the other.

"P-plea--aah…" [Name] gave a low, guttural gasp when he added a third finger, starting a slow, painfully rigorous pace. "A-ahhh…"

She bucked into his hand and he went a little deeper than she was ready for. She sucked in a large breath and her walls clamped down around him. It was too soon.

Gently, he removed his fingers and moved his mouth from her nipple. He rolled it between the fingers of his free hand as he leaned over her. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked extremely disappointed that he had removed his fingers from her so early.

He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips that had her following him for more. "Now, take it slowly. If you keep bucking into my hand like that, it'll be over before it starts."

"Sorry," she whispered against his mouth. Her fingers traced up the muscles of his abdomen and he responded, his member hard and twitching against her thigh.

"Don't be sorry." He kissed her again. "I'm giving you pleasure. Rushing never makes it pleasant."

Her next statement dissolved in a flutter of beautiful moans when he inserted a finger back within her. She didn't buck into him but had a hard time stopping herself, so he held her down with a firm hand. He set a smooth but faster pace, inserting another finger as he went, and just as her walls began to shudder with a telltale orgasm, he stopped. She looked so furious that she could have kicked him, but he kissed his way down her body and lowered his mouth between her legs.

Any anger she may have felt left her in a rush. Isshin pried her legs apart when her thighs clamped around his head, keeping them reasonably spread. He licked a long line from the beginning of her clit to the end, tracing the path with his teeth. She could have simply cried at the pure pleasure he was giving her. Sure enough, little tears formed at the corner of her eyes.

Then he sealed his mouth over her and began sucking. Her eyes slammed shut and the most erotic, shamefully loud moan escaped her throat. It seemed to be the reaction he wanted because she could feel his smile against her sensitive flesh. His tongue moved in time with every sharp suckle he gave her, shoving into her deepest depths, curling and twisting and writhing. His teeth scraping against her clit with the gentlest of touches was her undoing, the friction providing her that last bit of incentive.

Her back arched high enough off of the bed that she felt she would break it in two. Her skin was on fire. Her blood pounded behind her ears. Isshin refused to let her ride it out and mercilessly nipped, licked, and suckled at her oversensitive flesh, devouring the juices that left her after her orgasm.

When she finally caught her breath and took deep inhales that were wrought with sharp moans from the aftershocks, Isshin removed his mouth from her and slid up her body in one smooth motion. He pressed kisses to the underside of her jaw, took the shell of her ear into his mouth and pressed his tongue to it. The heat was enough to make her dig her fingers into his shoulders.

"Good girl," he praised. She could feel him between her legs, pressing against the swollen folds of her skin, hard and hot. He did nothing more than resume his kisses and praises until the throbbing between her legs became powerful enough for him to feel it. "Are you alright? Do you want to continue?"

"Yes," she croaked. Her vocal chords were strained. She leaned up and pulled him into a kiss, simultaneously wrapping her legs around his waist and locking her ankles. Her thighs were strong enough that she pulled him flush against her, his cock pressing deep enough into her lengthwise that he could feel her wetness already. "Yes, please, Isshin… Please…"

Her begging was his undoing. He gently loosened her hold on his waist and took himself into his hand. He rubbed the head between her folds, cloaking himself in her juices, and he watched her eyes roll into the back of her head. Her hips bucked, desperate for friction, and he slid in just a fraction of an inch. Her answering gasp would be imprinted on his soul.

"Tell me when to stop, or if you need a break." Isshin paused and grabbed her chin. She stared down at him through heavy lidded eyes. "Tell me, [Name]."

"I promise," she whispered hoarsely.

He pushed himself inside. Her eyes rolled shut once more and, now inside her with leverage, kneeled down over her and gently pressed his lips to her bottom lip in a kiss. Her mouth, once open in silent plea, closed and responded, only opening for every inch deeper he penetrated her with. By the time he was nearly halfway there, he felt her start to feel the pain. The muscles in her legs tightened further. Her nails dug right into his back.

"Oh… Oh, that… burns…" she gasped into his ear. He pressed sweet kisses to the hollow of her throat. She could feel herself stretching as his cock became engorged, swollen with his arousal. "Ah… Oh, yes…"

Isshin sunk in just that little bit more. "How do you feel, [Name]?"

It was almost an odd thing. He could feel her reaction to him calling her name through her inner walls. They spasmed around him, pulling him deeper without his permission.

"I… I…" [Name] twisted her head back and forth, desperate to gain those final inches of him inside. "Gods, yes, please! Isshin!"

And when he was fully seated within her, balls pressing as close to her skin as he could without crushing them, she let out the most marvelous moan that he found himself hard pressed to find a comparison. Her fingernails had dragged bloody trails down his back, digging into the curve of his cheeks, pushing him as deep as he could go.

He stayed there, unmoving, for a few moments, observing her face. Her pupils were blown wide with pleasure, her eyebrows drawn with want as she ground her hips into his. Her mouth parted in a wanton gasp.

"Do you want me to move, [Name]?" He reached up and brushed hairs from her face. She leaned in to his touch, following any form of friction she could get. "[Name]?"

"Yes," she gasped, jerking as he slid back and entered her once more. Her eyes went wide. "Yes, please, Isshin, I beg you…"

"Never beg," he told her with a kiss. "If a man cannot tell what you want, then he does not deserve your begging."

She nodded halfheartedly in acknowledgement, too caught up in her own pleasure as he set a slow, hard pace. She rocked with every thrust, her hips moving to meet his, her breasts bouncing on her chest with each hard roll of his pelvis. He captured them in his hands and rolled each bud between his fingers, palmed the sensitive flesh gently.

"Ah… Ahh… Ahhhh…" [Name] gasped as his thrusts became a little faster, a little harder, sharper. She could feel him bumping against something every deep stroke he took, sending rockets of pleasure straight through her belly. She fought for him to touch that spot every time, forcing her hips at an angle that was certain to let him reach it. "Ahh… Oh, ahh… Ha! Isshin!"

"You're getting close." He grunted in her ear. "Can I speed up?"

"Yes!" She cried.

His pace became so fast, so hard that she couldn't keep up. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her legs tightening around his waist. The bedframe, a plain bamboo thing, slammed against the wall with powerful thuds, matching every thrust with an audible sound. Her orgasm was powerful enough that she screamed and Isshin stormed right through it, chasing his own release, and he found it right in his final thrust, seated within her so deeply that it was too late to fully pull out.

[Name] collapsed back, head reclined on the bed, her legs falling slack as he emptied himself inside her. She took deep breaths to calm her heart, accepting the gentle kisses that Isshin offered her and the praises he sung into her ear. So satiated, she didn't even notice when he cleaned her up and changed out the soiled bed coverings, covering her bare body with a thin sheet that wouldn't leave her too hot in the night.

"Goodnight, [Name]," he whispered, cutting off the fire lamp. He kissed her forehead and adjusted the sheet around her. "Sleep well."

"Mm. G'night. Didn't regret it."

And she was dead to the world in perhaps one of the best nights sleep she had ever had in her life


	2. ( 一.五 ) DECISIONS

"SO, I SEE THAT the nightjar were not lying to me when they told me of my student's whereabouts."

Isshin Ashina looked over the rim of his sake cup towards the woman who had entered his quarters without a sound. Lady Tomoe stood in a yukata of fine make, embroidered with pale pink blossoms and dyed a deep, burnt fuchsia. She had left her hair partially down, exposing the fine gray hairs that she kept cleverly hidden underneath elaborate twists and buns.

"When do the nightjar ever lie?" Isshin laughed. "Take a seat."

Lady Tomoe did so, but not before shooting a sly glance towards the sliding doors of his room where just the barest peek could be seen inside. "She still sleeps?"

"Tired, I'm certain." The Lord of Ashina set down his cup of sake. "It's still fairly early. I'm assuming you aren't just here to make a point of checking on [Name]'s wellbeing, are you?"

"No, although I am relieved to hear that you…" her eyebrow quirked,"took seemingly very good care of her."

"The nightjar are also very loose lipped, it seems."

"That they are, but were it any other, they would not be so open. I am here to discuss the Tengu of Ashina."

"Ah." Isshin picked his cup of sake back up. "I wasn't aware you knew of that. Perhaps I'm not as discreet as I thought."

Tomoe laughed lightly, pouring herself her own cup but at a very smaller dosage than he did. She was not the one who had a liver of steel. "Oh, you are very discreet, Lord Isshin. In fact, I would not have known at all had I not witnessed you slip into the night during a particularly bright moon. Emma also helped in that regard."

"I see." Very subtly, he gestured for the nightjar to close the doors and windows. He watched as one nightjar stepped down the stairs just where he could see and stood guard over his room, where he could just barely see [Name] roll over and resume snoring. "What is it that you would like the Tengu to do for you?"

"It's… simple enough," Tomoe began lightly, a devilish twinkle in her eye. "Perhaps easy for the Tengu, but difficult for the man, so to speak."

Isshin had a hunch that he knew where this was going. "I'm listening."

"I would like for you to tail [Name]'s contingent. Discreetly. I'm aware that you haven't snuck out in quite some time and Emma has already agreed, granted that you take your preventive herbs before you go." Lady Tomoe brushed her hair back. "It isn't that I don't have faith in her abilities. I do. It is her mind that I fear for."

"You want me to keep her from turning into Shura," Isshin guessed bluntly.

"Yes. You might be aware, but those of the Okami bloodline have a much, much lower risk of turning than the dragon's blood. There is, however, a very large chance, given the amount of bloodshed and death, that her risk could be boosted significantly."

"And…?"

"If she turns, I want you to kill her." Tomoe's eyes were hard. "I would never be able to. I care for her far too much as both a mentor and, she may not consider me so, a mother. Genichiro is too polite to kill a woman in cold blood. You are my last resort, Lord Isshin."

"Very well then. They leave today? Give me an hour to give you an answer." Isshin reached up and rubbed his chin in thought. "I have important business, also, in Bodhisattva Valley to take care of. It would take me quite a while to deal with that… situation."

"Kingfisher and Orangutan," Lady Tomoe sighed bitterly. She eyed Isshin with a raised brow. "I could go in your stead."

"We shall see. I must deliberate first."

When the woman made no signs of moving from her seat, Isshin narrowed his eyes. She seemed to get the idea, then, and with the slightest huff, got to her feet and headed to the balcony. As the doors slid open, Tomoe asked,"Would you like me to wake [Name]?"

"No." Isshin glanced outside; it was barely dawn. "Let her be for a few more hours. When you return, I will have an answer for you."

"Fine. I will see you shortly, Lord Isshin."

"Lady Tomoe."

When the balcony door slid shut again, Isshin turned back to the sliver of view to his bedroom. [Name] had shifted once again, this time laying flat on her back, sheet contorted around her waist so tightly that it left no slack to cover her breasts. The nightjar remained firm, but he had no doubt that the man had closed the door just a little bit more.

"What to do, what to do," he sighed. He had a pretty woman in his bed and a metaphorical blade hanging over his head. Some decisions just had to be deliberated on a little while longer. "Damn you, Tomoe."

And thus, a decision was made.


	3. ( 二 ) SUNLIT SLUMBER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just something cute before all of the warfare begins. ♡

[NAME] AWOKE TO THE sensation of someone stroking her back. In her half asleep daze, she tracked the movement of fingertips down her back, from the curve of her neck, down to the gentle slope of her spine, pausing just at the dimples above the sheet, and trailing back up at the same pace. She had the thought that it was Lady Tomoe, but these fingers were too calloused and warm to be her hands.

These were a man's hands.

Isshin's hands.

She cracked open an eye, squinting at the sunlight filtering inside the room, her cheek cushioned by a goose down pillow. The events of the night flickered through her mind, one scene at a time, and eventually settled on attempting to embarass her with the lewd moans and screams she had let pass her lips. Surprisingly she only felt contentment spread throughout her body and she closed her eye, eager to go back to sleep, the hand on her back soothing her into slumber.

"If only you didn't have a war to participate in, or I would let you sleep the day away." Isshin's voice pulled her from the abyss of dreams, amused and light. "However, you wouldn't be making a good impression as a section commander if you did that."

Slightly guilty at Isshin's playfully poking words, [Name] pushed herself up onto her elbows and blinked wearily at the sun, turning her head partially to look at the man who sat adjacent to her. The hand on her back stopped tracing the individual vertebrae of her spine, instead doodling tiny loops on her skin in a lazy fashion.

"Did you sleep well?" he inquired. He had changed into a plain white yukata and tied his hair neatly back up, enough where she could see a huge chunk of black hair at the back of his head. "You certainly slept hard enough."

[Name] didn't feel any embarassment like she thought she would. Lady Tomoe and the maids had graced her with various 'walks of shame' that they had in their lives, but all that she could dig up out of her pool of emotions was just a hint of shyness that was being overpowered by her respect. She doubted, however, that Lord Isshin would subject her to a walk of shame like that. She hoped, anyways.

Facing Lady Tomoe, however… That would be something else.

"I slept well," she replied. Her voice was soft and whispery with sleep. "I'm still trying to wake up, a little."

"I can tell." He brushed away strands of hair from her face to expose her eyes more fully to the sun. She squinted and reached up to rub at her eyelids, but seemed more awake than she had hiding behind her curtain of hair. "Better?"

"Mm." [Name] pushed herself up into a sitting position. When she reached for her face, squishing her cheeks, Isshin got a good look at the markings on her skin. While it had been dark in the night, he had only been able to feel them rather than see them, but now he was aware that they were a pale gray in consistency with some patches of dark red, all of them in whirling lines that ended at her wrists and ankles. Breaking the smoothness of her skin were char black scars from lightning redirection, but other than a faint roughness he had not felt much of a difference.

She yawned widely, but caught him staring at her markings easily enough. He hadn't attempted to hide it from her. He never lingered on one spot too long and followed the repeating patterns and kanji with little difficulty.

"Do you want to touch them?" It was her turn to be amused. He glanced up, met her gaze, and nodded politely. She was almost glad that he had not automatically assumed she would let him touch her and had waited for her to offer the chance, other than when he had woken her from her sleep.

[Name] shook off the remaining dregs of sleep and got to her feet. She allowed the blanket to fall from her hips, exposing the remaining kanji to be seen, and positioned herself just inches from him, kneecaps brushing the fabric of his yukata.

Isshin's eyes roved over her body, not quite ready to touch her just yet, and─she had seen many other men do this, but never with the intensity that he was─taking in her presence.

He grabbed her hand first, starting at the markings along her fingers. Those she had done herself, without Lady Tomoe's help. The kanji for 'fire', 'earth', and 'lightning' had been written on the middle knuckles of her hand. He traced them with the tips of his fingers, following up the muscles of her forearm and shoulder. He kept an eye on her face, looking for any signs of growing irritation, but only found her trying hard not to laugh at the tickling sensation.

"Are you particularly ticklish?" Isshin asked as he traced an intricate swirl upon her collarbone. She shifted in thought, leaning her thigh upon his knee, eyes staring somewhere at the ceiling.

"A little," she admitted, jumping when his hands moved to admire the paths drawn on her ribs. "Okay, maybe more than a little."

Isshin had already deduced that her ribs were sensitive and moved on, tucking that information away for later, noting the smattering of bruises along the insides of her thighs, half of them intentional and the other half not so much. The deliberately placed ones took more of a harsh ring shape, while the tiny burst capillaries from the harsh thrusts he had utilized were already yellowing and fading.

"Lightning redirection," he hummed, distracted by a dark line that ran nearly down the center of her right breast. The little branches shot outward like miniature trees, not as large but prominent enough to gain his attention. "I thought the markings kept you from being harmed?"

[Name] felt her belly grow tight the longer he stared and handled her. "This was before we discovered that eel liver could be used to nullify those effects. The pain was a valuable lesson, before we left the palace."

"I see." Isshin traced a line that went down her navel. "And Lady Tomoe draws these for you?"

"Yes," she said, her breath hitching just slightly as his fingers traced a whirl just beneath her belly button. He made sure that she knew he noticed, glancing back up at her. "The ones I would mess up, anyhow, like my back or collarbones. I can do the rest."

Isshin hummed thoughtfully, finished with his examination. When he looked back up, she had a peculiar look on her face and he was certain it had been because she mentioned the Fountainhead Palace and got sucked back into those memories. When he set his hands on her ribs and began tickling her, she jerked out of the past with a shriek. She collapsed sideways into his lap, one arm hooked around his shoulder and the other grasping at the sheet, giggles and laughter erupting from her chest.

"Pff! I-Iss… S-S-Stop," she gasped through her laughter, pressing her cheek into the bed. "Can't… Can't breathe…"

He let up when her face went a vibrant shade of pink, holding her hips to keep her from rolling off of his lap as she regained her breath. She took deep gasping breaths, her free hand holding her chest, and when she had finally settled and only giggled once or twice, she relaxed. Her spine went slack over his thigh and her shoulders arched back, brushing the bed.

"That was mean," [Name] breathed playfully. "I trusted you not to tickle me."

Isshin chuckled and, with the back of his hand, brushed his knuckles down the bones of her ribs. She shook slightly at the movement. "Oh, but your laughter was worth it."

"Are you ticklish?" She bit back, rising and sitting up. She seemed vastly more comfortable in his presence now than before. He situated his hands, leaving one to rest on her hip and the other to lay flat on the small of her back. "Just for research purposes."

"Fortunately, no," Isshin said, grinning at the frown that overtook her face,"I was not cursed with being ticklish."

[Name] pursed her lips. "My payback will have to be something else, then."

Their playful banter dissolved into a comfortable, charged silence. Neither of them paid any mind to the nightjar guarding the door, shifting nervously at their sudden quiet. Isshin was content to stare into her eyes, and she his, and they could have spent hours doing so, but it had to be broken somehow.

[Name] leaned forward, guessing that he wouldn't risk breaking the moment to ask for her permission, and pressed her lips to his, eyes fluttering shut.

Isshin, pleased that she had read him successfully, responded in kind, mimicking the gentle movement of her mouth. It was not a feverish kiss, like the ones they had shared before, but a slow, lazy, leisurely one. In the bright sunlight of the day, it made for a perfect morning, and they continued exchanging sweet kisses, uncaring of the time passing them by.

It was, ultimately, the nightjar who steeled his nerves and reminded them of their impending duties, though [Name] would never know that he was also going.

"Lord Isshin?" The nightjar deliberately avoided looking in the room, keeping his back to them. "The war party leaves in two hours, sir." He coughed politely. "Both of them."

[Name] parted from him with a content, albeit it somewhat irritated, sigh. She glowered at the nightjar for some time but, finding it pointless seeing that she did have a war to go fight, sighed again and fixed Isshin with a dismayed expression.

"It seems you need to get going," Isshin pressed. He had his own preparing to do and while he would have savored a few more moments with her, it was time for them to part. "Lady Tomoe delivered fresh clothing for you earlier in the day."

He took great joy in watching her calm, pleased countenance fade into bewilderment. A blush crept up her neck and ears, red and bright.

"She would have," she mumbled, carefully extracting herself from his lap so he could retrieve the yukata from a nightjar. "Gods, she probably wished I was awake so she could tease me about it."

"Knowing Tomoe, I have no doubt that she would have," Isshin said lightly. He handed her the yukata and turned his back to her, allowing her to dress in peace despite having seen every inch of skin on her body besides. He watched the nightjar nearly slump in relief when he heard the sound of a tight knot of a yukata being tied. "Are you decent?"

"As I can be." He turned to face her and found her pulling irritatedly at the collar. He now knew that Tomoe's teasing sense of humor extended to far more than just double entendres, but also to deliberate sabotage of clothing. [Name]'s yukata dipped low enough in the front, lower than she usually wore, to expose the countless bruises he had left with his mouth upon her skin. "Oh, she really was determined wasn't she?"

"So it seems." Isshin, careful and cautious still, gathered her in his arms. He waited for her to push him back, but instead she shifted closer, resting her cheek on his chest. "There's a secret entrance to the castle just up the staircase. You can get to your quarters without being seen. A nightjar will escort you."

She saw the dismissal for what it was, however delicately he put it. She had a job to do and her emotions were getting in the way of it, simply put. She grumbled and removed herself from his grip, leaning up on her toes and kissing his cheek in farewell.

"Goodbye," [Name] hummed. "I'll have your answer when I return."

He raised his eyebrows and, once she was out of his arms, clasped his hands behind his back. "You might have that answer sooner than you think."

He just barely caught her confused glance before the nightjar shut the door and led her up a staircase. Once her footfalls were well out of his hearing range, he withdrew his tengu mask from its spot underneath his bed.

It was time to get to work.


End file.
